The present invention relates to a filter element, in particular for filtering air for an internal combustion engine, and to a method for producing such a filter element.
Although applicable to any filter element and filter arrangement, the present invention and its underlying problem are described hereinafter in connection with an engine intake air filter or air filter of a motor vehicle.
For filtering air for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, folded or pleated filter materials such as filter fleeces forming a fold pack are commonly used. For this purpose, first an initially flat filter material sheet is folded in a zigzag-shaped manner. The fold pack is held in a frame, for example. Such filter elements can be fixed interchangeably in a filter receptacle.
EP 1 464 372 B1 describes a filter element having a flexible seal that is injection-molded onto the filter element by a plastics injection molding method.